SF Insite: John O'Neill
continues his salute to Asimov's SF and Analog in "A Brief History of Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine."Letters: news, rumours, and indignant rebuttal from authors and
readers around the world. This week, we hear from Publisher Lou Aronica, writers Damien Broderick and Bruce Holland Rogers, and others.

Author & Fan Tribute Sites: we've built 26 pages of them (plus one for Mc).Our Contents Page highlights reviews of
Fractal Paisleys by Paul Di Filippo,
Nazareth Hill by Ramsey Campbell,
Dreaming In Smoke by Tricia Sullivan
and
Planet Dreams by Michaela Carlock.What's new from the SF Site reviewers? Browse through the list to see if any of your favourites are represented.SF Site Interviews: In past issues, we've interviewed Gregory Benford, Bruce Sterling and many others. If you missed any, here is an easy way to see which ones.SF Site is host to:
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for the best in SF-oriented chat.For SF TV movie listings from SF Site and TVNow, visitSF Site Search Engine: it will find whatever or whoever you're looking for.Have you seen our previous issues?1997

The Sea Man by Jane Yolen & The Great Redwall Feast by Brian Jacquesreviewed by David Soyka
Two books from Peguin/Philomel share Christopher Denise as illustrator, and, though aimed at
different age groups, proved worthy bedtime reads on a reliable test subject, David's eight-year-old daughter, Sydnie.

Slaughtermatic by Steve Aylettreviewed by Lisa DuMond
Not since John Sladek (one of the best satirist in SF) has a writer had so
much fun playing with words. The author twists definitions and toys with
expressions. The story is a tale of a far future where crime is an art and
the cops aren't just crooked, they're Gordian knots of corruption and insanity.

Babylon 5.1TV reviews by Rick Norwood
In his column, Rick reviews the new movie X-Files: Fight the
Future (worth seeing but disappointing), and the season finale of
DS9, "Tears of the Prophets" (which stands out in a season of
great episodes).

The Horribly Haunted School by Margaret Mahyreviewed by Neil Walsh
This is an intelligent, playful adventure with an air of mystery about it. There are plenty of
silly-sounding names (like Scrunley Filcher and Jessica Frogcutlet), interesting characters, and spoofing
glimpses at some of the unusual obsessions and instabilities of adults.

The Dazzle of Day by Molly Glossreviewed by Katharine Mills
This is the kind of book that lingers in memory; at once harsh and sweet, a poetic
celebration of humanity's potential for destruction and creation.

Mid-June New Arrivalscompiled by John O'Neill
It's July. It's hot. Like, really hot. Looks like all the SF eco-disaster novels you read ten years ago were
right. The end is near. Nothing to do now but find an air-conditioned corner and read up on the surprises comin'
next decade. The experts this week are Mike Resnick, David G. Hartwell, Mary Doria Russell, Steve Perry & Gary
Braunbeck, Jacqueline Harpman, Parke Godwin, Lisa Mason, Sherwood Smith, Alison Sinclair and many others.

Retribution by Elizabeth Forrestreviewed by Lisa DuMond
Charlie Saunders was a child prodigy of the art world. The inspiration
behind her stunning canvasses were terrifying dreams. Who knew that a brain
tumour was fostering her genius? And threatening her young life? It's
undeniable entertainment. A good, rapid-fire read that grips your attention
until the last page.

Juniper, Gentian, and Rosemary by Pamela Deanreviewed by Margo MacDonald
A brooding foreshadowing of doom, deep and compelling relationships between
the characters, and their near irrational rationalizing away of all the
weirdness popping up around them -- all this kept Margo reading long after
the plot had failed to hold her interest.

The Demon Spirit by R.A. Salvatorereviewed by Regina Lynn Preciado
Story grows out of character and the author's characters make this series rise
above the plethora of similarly plotted fantasy trilogies. Salvatore has
said he spent six months just building his world, getting to know his characters, and it shows.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Mist by Dean Wesley Smith and Kathryn Ruschreviewed by Alexander von ThornThe Captain's Table is a bar in the interstices of space and time,
where ship captains from past and present gather to exchange stories, in the
tradition of Gavagan's Bar or Callahan's. Unfortunately, it
seems like more of a marketing device than a literary one.

Asimov's SF, June 1998reviewed by David Soyka
The June issue of Asimov's SF marks the debut of a new larger format resulting in
10% more content. This issue also appears to send a few probes to the
fringe regions of SF while maintaining a home base in the terra firma of the mainstream.

The Neutronium Alchemist by Peter F. Hamiltonreviewed by Stephen M. Davis
This novel, the sequel to The Reality Dysfunction,
concerns the return of souls from the Beyond. The author does an
excellent job of keeping this from getting silly, and the possessors act in a generally logical
fashion, with a bit of localized mayhem thrown in to keep things interesting.

The Still by David Feintuchreviewed by Kim Fawcett
Kim found this to be one of the most enjoyable fantasy books she's read this
year -- a sweeping story with plenty of action and plenty of characters to
love and to hate. The author generates enough tension to keep you at the
edge of your seat right up until the final line.

Editor's Choiceshort fiction reviews by David A. Truesdale
In his column, David looks at the May 1998 issue of Science Fiction Age.
His choice is
"Saddle Point: Roughneck" by Stephen Baxter.

River of Blue Fire by Tad Williamsreviewed by Victoria Strauss
Like Volume 1, the second part of Otherland is skillfully
written and flawlessly paced. It's an incredibly complex work, bristling
with themes, characters, symbols, and storylines. The domains of Otherland
are mind-boggling in their variety and inventiveness. Williams juggles it
all with remarkable skill.

Black Oak #1: Genesis by Charles Grantreviewed by Lisa DuMond
Charles Grant owes Lisa one night's sleep. What kind of fool stays up past midnight when the
alarm is set for 5:30 am? The one who started this novel and knew by page 3 it had to be
finished before something as trivial as sleep came.

Warrior Princesses edited by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough and Martin H. Greenbergreviewed by Lela Olszewski
This anthology celebrates women who refuse to be constrained by society's
rules, even though they know the result is as likely to be their doom as it
is their freedom. The majority of the stories are sword & sorcery, with the
emphasis on "sword." Most are fresh and some are surprising, providing a
variety of pleasures for the reader.

Highlander: Shadow of Obsession by Rebecca Neasonreviewed by Todd Richmond
Fans of the TV series will enjoy this novel, which fills in a few holes and
offers a wealth of detail on the history of MacLeod's old friend, Darius.
With only a handful of Highlander books out now, Todd hopes
any others to come will be up to the standards set by this novel.

Bunker Man by Duncan McLeanreviewed by Chris Donner
A masterful tale of how one man's obsession grows to the point where it
overtakes and obliterates his former personality, turning him into what he
hates. The tension and ambiguity build until the reader is uncertain
whether the protagonist is going mad, whether he is simply evil, or whether
he is actually trying to ward off a genuine threat.

The Stone Prince by Fiona Pattonreviewed by Alexander von Thorn
Fiona Patton writes with clarity and conviction, rare and required qualities
for a writer of epic fantasy. With a genuine late-medieval flavour, hers is
also a world where magic plays a central role in the affairs of nations.

For the Emperor by Christine W. Murphyreviewed by Thomas Myer
Two warring factions, and stuck in between is a race of disinherited people
known as the Imsada -- sort of a cross between Geronimo's freedom fighters
of the Old West and the Afghani mujahedin. Vibrant with tension,
well-drawn characters and a plot which skips along at a good pace, this
novel may indicate a bright future for the medium of electronic books.

Werewolf Players Guide edited by Ed Hall and Allison Sturmsreviewed by Alexander von Thorn
This is a must-buy for anybody interested in the Werewolf: the
Apocalypse game. Almost everything in this book is new material, with
little overlap with the core rule book. It's an excellent comprehensive
reference for players, as well as a good broad expansion set for gamemasters.